Celebrating corporatenarrative and storytelling

WINNERS BOOK

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One of the joys we have discovered through the past three years of the Corporate Content Awards has been the ways in which the use of content has changed to suit the needs of storytellers. Whereas our first winners list featured those with excellent print or written content, this year, it has been audio that has excelled.

Our ‘Best use of audio’ category was very competitive, with judges working to determine who topped the list. They ultimately awarded six trophies and one highly commended nod to nominees.

Indeed audio has been so prominent in this year’s Corporate Content Awards that the sought-after ‘Best corporate storytelling’ prize has gone to NFU Mutual and Fresh Air Production for the development of a podcast for farmers. But it hasn’t been entirely a case of out with the old, in the with the new. All formats of narrative and storytelling have been regarded as excellent by the panel of judges.

This year’s ‘Grand prix’ is a previous winner in its own right. The British Heart Foundation’s Heart Matters magazine, produced alongside Wardour, took home two gold awards before being named the premier winner of 2020.

Congratulations to all of the 2020 winners of the Corporate Content Awards! Keep telling those stories.

Brittany Golob Editor in chief, Communicate magazine

4 Meet the judges

8 The winners

10 Best content campaign to assist with corporate positioning

11 Best content campaign to assist with reputation management

12 Best content targeted to the CSR community

14 Best content targeted to the investor audience

15 Best content targeted to the internal audience

16 Best use of video

17 Best use of digital

18 Best use of print

20 Best use of audio

22 Best use of a visual property

23 Best use of mobile

24 Best use of a celebrity or influencer

25 Best copy style or tone of voice

27 Best corporate blog

28 Best content-driven brand created community

29 Best use of content within an existing external community

30 Best user-generated content

31 Best use of content in a live or experiential setting

33 Most creative use of owned media channels

34 Best branded content publication

35 Best branded content site

36 Best use of data

37 Best use of content in a social context

38 Best one-off content campaign

39 Best long-term use of content

41 Best corporate storyteller

42 Grand prix

Welcome Contents

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The judgesEmma Banks, senior communications professional, Gallagher Emma is a communications professional and has held senior roles for financial services businesses including Direct Line, LV= and RBS. She started her career in the early 1990s and worked agency side for 10 years before moving in house. Her experience includes media relations, internal communications, CSR and customer engagement. She is a specialist in building financial services brands and running campaigning activity to build customer and industry advocacy.

David Boardman, director of communications and engagement, MyCSP David’s current remit spans employee, employer and member communications, events, PR, marketing and public affairs. He has won multiple awards for his creative approach to employee and customer engagement. Prior to joining MyCSP, David worked in a similar role within the housing management and regeneration sector in London. Before that, he delivered award-winning corporate communications for online retailer Shop Direct Group.

Karan Chadda, senior digital communications and content manager, Ageas Karan is a senior digital marketing and communications leader with experience of managing corporate and consumer digital, content and social media channels. He is responsible for Ageas’ online reputation, spanning everything from brand awareness campaigns and SEO to online reviews.

Amaris Cole, senior digital communications manager, Church of England Amaris is the senior digital communication manager at the Church of England, working in the award-winning digital team. She is responsible for implementing digital evangelism, discipleship and communication strategies for the Church of England and its institutions, through national campaigns and the church-finder website achurchnearyou.com. Amaris also leads the national digital training for churches on social media and websites.

Ann Booth-Clibborn, story coach and executive producer, Story Coach London Ann’s TV shows attracted millions of viewers for the BBC and Channel 4, and included ‘Changing Rooms’ and ‘You Are What You Eat.’ In 2011, Ann set up Storycoach to pursue a new mission; unlocking the natural storytelling skills of leaders, innovators and experts, so they can grab the attention of their audiences and inspire a response. Ann’s clients are varied but include LOROL, Draper London, Molson Coors, Speechstorm, Exeter University and Quarto Publishing.

Den Carter, colleague communications channels and content lead, British Airways Den has been instrumental in driving employee involvement and advocacy at various big brands, specialising in digital transformation and brand immersion. Den joined British Airways in 2018. His broad remit includes helping leaders embrace the direct link between employee engagement, customer satisfaction and operational performance, as well as rebuilding the airline’s digital workplace from the ground up.

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Louise Fitton, head of museum, gallery and archives, Waltham Forest For the last 20 years, Louise has been delivering visitor experiences and live content for museums, galleries and heritage attractions. Currently, she is head of museum, gallery and archives for the London Borough of Waltham Forest, where she runs the William Morris Gallery, Vestry House Museum and is developing a new contemporary arts space. Prior to this, she held roles at the National Trust, the Natural History Museum and international consultancies.

Steve Garvey, founder, Moving Image Steve is the founder of Moving Image, the hub for insights into brand video and corporate film. He has over 30 years of experience in film and video as an agency head, producer and in-house comms director. He was CEO of World Television and Cheerful Twentyfirst, as well as industry association Evcom. He founded Reuters Corporate Television, produced documentaries for Channel 4 and the BBC, and was comms director at Yes Television.

Sarah Leccacorvi, head of content, O2 (Telefónica UK) Sarah joined O2 four years ago to lead the creation and development of their integrated campaign plan. Now, Sarah leads the content team to develop the strategy and creative across all facets of the O2 brand, resulting in some of O2’s most talked-about content. This includes music and sport, Priority, launch of devices and propositions as well as B2B communication. Previously, Sarah worked in creative agencies, including Leo Burnett.

Marie Dosiere, storyteller and founder, AMA Sound ProductionMarie has more than 10 years of experience in investment banking and asset management at Natixis, J.P. Morgan & AXA. In 2014, she became chief storyteller at Architas, where she specialised on turning complex messages into simple stories for the AXA clients in Europe. She launched a newsletter translated into six languages and introduced audio podcasts. She was also a broadcaster at French Radio London. In 2018 Marie founded AMA Sound Production helping financial institutions better communicate.

Stephen Humphreys, head of corporate communications, Financial Conduct Authority Stephen is head of corporate communications for the Financial Conduct Authority. He is responsible for the regulator’s media relations, public affairs and internal communications. Stephen has held a number of communications roles including with United Utilities, Royal London and the Food Standards Agency.

Ian Hall, content editor, City A.M.Ian is a freelance content professional, currently working for media including City A.M. He is a former UK director of Euractiv (2011-2018), editor of Public Affairs News (2007-2011) and news editor of PR Week (2000-2007). He was shortlisted for ‘Editor of the year’ at the British Society of Magazine Editors Awards in 2010. Ian has an MA in urban and regional change in Europe and a BA in economics, both from Durham University.

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Babel is a PR and integrated communications agency.

We understand that nobody really buys technology.What they buy is a solution to a need.

It’s that understanding that drives our campaigns.We interpret the complexities of technology andcreate engaging stories that generate business results.

We understand, we create, we deliver.

enquiries@babelpr.com+44 (0)20 7434 5550 www.babelpr.com

Communicators for the Digital Economy

Brand Strategy

PR & Influencer Relations

Content Creation

Digital Engagement

Events & Conferences

Consultancy & Training

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The judgesRobert Ratcliff, head of content, Barclays Corporate Banking Rob is the head of content at Barclays Corporate Banking. He joined Barclays over five years ago in which time he was worked on campaigns across the bank in personal, business and corporate banking. In his current role, he is responsible for editorial campaigns across a range of media. Rob has worked in content marketing since before it was called ‘content marketing.’

Andy Richards, creative director, Living Group Andy has been developing intelligent creative solutions to help brands increase their presence and credibility for over 20 years. Having worked extensively in London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi with clients that include State Street, EY, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Mubadala, Nomura and Dubai Holding. He has led Living’s award-winning creative team for the past six years and leads Living’s pro bono initiative, which supports a number of East London community organisations.

Christopher Scott, head of corporate communications, London Sport Chris is head of corporate communications for London Sport, overseeing the agency’s media, PR, strategic communications and external relations activities. Having worked in the sport sector since 2013, Chris previously managed the media and PR brief for the national gender equality charity, Women in Sport, where he led the development of the inaugural ‘Women’s Sport Week’ campaign as well as the charity’s wider media lobbying efforts.

Adam Vincenzini, head of studio operations, PMI Content Studio Adam has more than 18 years of experience in marketing and communications and is a thought leader on storytelling in the digital age. His founded an independent content and digital agency in Australia, and established award-winning blog AdamVincenzini.com. He is currently the managing editor of the PMI Content Studio which has been established to help Philip Morris International achieve its vision for a smoke-free future.

Sarah Robertson, executive producer, HSBC Sarah is an executive producer in HSBC’s award-winning film team, producing video content for HSBC globally. Sarah’s team tell stories that reflect the bank’s values and culture while supporting its business priorities. The films are published across HSBC’s internal and social channels, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Sarah has also worked in broadcast television, producing popular programmes such as Masterchef and the One Show.

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The winnersBest content campaign to assist with corporate positioningGold - DigiPlexSilver - Iberdrola and HeadlandBronze - Greenlight Commerce and Champion CommunicationsBronze - Pernod Ricard and BladonmoreHighly commended - Newcastle University and Wardour

Best content campaign to assist with reputation managementGold - Newcastle University and Wardour Silver - Manx Insurance Association and LansonsBronze - Diageo and Quite Frankly ProductionsHighly commended - GeoSpock and Babel PR

Best content targeted to the CSR communityGold - HSBCGold - Turkcell and RafineriSilver - Direct Line GroupBronze - Stonewater and BECG

Best content targeted to the investor audienceGold - Poste Italiane and BladonmoreSilver - Russell Investments and Living Group

Best content targeted to the internal audienceGold - Direct Line GroupSilver - Cobham Silver - RBS and Synergy CreativeBronze - Octapharma and LuminousHighly commended - De Beers Group and Nucco BrainHighly commended - Element Materials Technology and 438 Marketing

Best use of videoGold - BP and Lonely LeapGold - National Crime Agency and malt.Silver - Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustBronze - Stonewater and BECGHighly commended - Direct Line GroupHighly commended - HSBC

Best use of digitalGold - Spirit Energy Ltd and Comprend Bronze - Centrica and ComprendBronze - The Walt Disney Company and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity

Best use of printGold - U + I and Gather LondonSilver - Hitachi Rail and ABBronze - Royal Mail and AB

Best use of audioGold - NFU Mutual and Fresh Air ProductionGold - Shell and Fresh Air Production Silver - DeloitteBronze - Burberry and WSM (Want Some Media)Bronze - KPMG in the UK and Audere CommunicationsHighly commended - Pladis and Brand Conversation

Best use of a visual propertyGold - Russell Investments and Living GroupSilver - Harneys and Living GroupBronze - Eintracht Frankfurt Fußball AG (SGE) and Profilwerkstatt GmbHHighly commended - HSBC

Best use of mobileGold - Turkcell and Rafineri

Best use of a celebrity or influencerGold - Frugalpac and Storm CommunicationsSilver - Goodman Masson and Spirited Pictures

Best copy style or tone of voiceGold - National Crime Agency and malt.Silver - Spirit Energy Ltd and ComprendBronze - Cabinet Office and MyCSP

Best corporate blogGold - The Perfume Shop and The River GroupSilver - Evelina London, part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustHighly commended - Geotab and Global Results Communications

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Best content-driven brand created communityGold - Evelina London, part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Best use of content with an existing external communityGold - Ageas and BECGSilver - AVAYA and A-Vision Bronze - Cabinet Office and MyCSP

Best user-generated content Gold - Direct Line GroupSilver - HSBC

Best use of content in a live or experiential settingGold - CobhamSilver - Cabinet Office and MyCSPBronze - BT Consumer and DRPG

Most creative use of owned media channelsGold - London Luton AirportSilver - DigiPlex

Best branded content publicationGold - British Heart Foundation and WardourSilver - Hays and WardourBronze - Eintracht Frankfurt Fußball AG (SGE) and Profilwerkstatt GmbHBronze - Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustHighly commended - Cobham

Best branded content siteGold - Pernod Ricard and BladonmoreSilver - Harneys and Living Group

Best use of dataGold - AVORD Group and Storm Communications Gold - EY and Living GroupSilver - MobileIron and Champion CommunicationsBronze - Greenlight Commerce and Champion CommunicationsHighly commended - Amdocs and Babel PR

Best use of content in a social contextGold - Birds EyeSilver - Guide Dogs and ZoneBronze - Rebel Girls and Nucco Brain

Best one-off content campaignGold - Toyota (GB) plc and DMS Media LtdSilver - MobileIron and Champion CommunicationsBronze - Newcastle University and WardourHighly commended - Greenlight Commerce and Champion Communications

Best long-term use of contentGold - British Heart Foundation and WardourSilver - EY and Living GroupSilver - London Stock Exchange Group and WardourBronze - HSBC Highly commended - Gemalto and Wardour

Best corporate storyteller Winner - NFU Mutual and Fresh Air Production

Grand prixWinner - British Heart Foundation and Wardour

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Best content campaign to assist with corporate positioningGold – DigiPlexDigiPlex designs, builds and operates sustainable data centres in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. With high demand for internet services, many data centres remain coal-fired and are an environmental concern. It overhauled its brand and messaging to focus on the issue of carbon emissions, energy efficiency and sustainability. It created thought leadership pieces, disseminated via traditional and social media, resulting in a 1,000% increase in incoming leads. DigiPlex is now the data centre operator with the highest brand awareness among Nordic decision makers. One judge said, “Perfectly blended business purpose with a content campaign highlighting a little-known but highly topical issue.

Silver – Iberdrola and HeadlandSpanish energy company Iberdrola is one of the world’s leaders in wind power. However, outside Spain, awareness of the brand was low, so it briefed Headland to increase its reach. The solution was a content partnership with the Financial Times, which increased FT readers’ perception and understanding of Iberdrola.

Bronze – Greenlight Commerce and Champion Communications Greenlight builds and manages e-commerce sites and wanted to communicate its points of differentiation. Champion created the guidelines within the Greenlight Code. This was amplified by media coverage, which gave it endorsement, validation and credibility.

Bronze – Pernod Ricard and Bladonmore Pernod Ricard wanted to communicate the message of responsible alcohol consumption and encourage a movement of conviviality. Bladonmore launched theconvivialists.com; targeting Millennials, the website and conviviality message will evolve as part of Pernod Ricard’s corporate communications and brand.

Highly commended – Newcastle University and Wardour

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Best content campaign to assist with reputation management

Gold – Newcastle University and WardourNewcastle University faced a challenge when quantitative data showed it is a far better research organisation with teaching of a higher quality than it is perceived to be. It commissioned Wardour to bring its new vision and strategy to life by creating content that would position it as a world-leading teaching and research institution. It wanted to influence the perceptions of policymakers, the media, potential industry partners, prospective students, existing students and staff. Campaign content included film, a campus newspaper, a supplement in Times Higher Education and building wraps. One judge praised, “Clear objective, creative yet simple execution. Clear and engaging messaging.”

Silver – Manx Insurance Association and Lansons Life insurance and wealth management is the largest sector on the Isle of Man. However, in 2018 an independent review identified threats to the sector. The Isle of Man government and Manx Insurance Association tasked Lansons to create a sector-wide proposition, the ‘Isle of Man for Life’ campaign.

Bronze – Diageo and Quite Frankly ProductionsDiageo released a short film about gender balance in advertising ahead of International Women’s Day. It enlisted Quite Frankly Productions to release the film, which raised awareness and dialogue. Diageo was the top global business for gender equality in the Equileap ‘2019 Global Gender Equality Report and Ranking.’

Highly commended – GeoSpock and Babel PR

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Gold – HSBCIn 2017, HSBC launched a new CSR and sustainability strategy. The strategy recognises the bank’s wider commitments to the communities in which it operates and understands that economic growth must also be sustainable. As part of this effort, HSBC global communications set out a content strategy to share the organisation’s CSR and sustainability mission with a diverse audience inside and outside the bank. It searched for stories across the bank that celebrate and encourage good practice. The content was shared worldwide. When asked to provide one example of something that HSBC has done that made them proud to work for the company, the most popular answer from employees was ‘employee-led CSR activities.’

Gold – Turkcell and Rafineri Turkcell is the leading mobile operator in Turkey, with more than 35m customers. As World Animal Day coincided with World Smile Day, Turkcell wanted to use this opportunity to both engage with its customers and make them part of its campaign to help Turkey’s eight million stray animals who are cared for in shelters. It appointed Rafineri to create a campaign around the AI features within its existing DO app, and launch ‘Spread the Smile.’ The AI was placed in interactive screens in shopping malls. When users smiled, they were instantly rewarded with pet food, and Turkcell in turn made a donation to Yedikule Animal Shelter. Some 310,000 people participated and the campaign reached 19.9m people on TV and across social media.

Silver – Direct Line GroupDirect Line Group wanted to promote open and honest conversations among employees and increase corporate pride, creating the #thisisme campaign. Employees were invited to share a series of statements as part of a Yammer conversation, saying what makes them ‘them’. This led to a new era of openness.

Bronze – Stonewater and BECG Social housing provider Stonewater commissioned BECG to create a film for World Homeless Day to draw attention to the UK’s ‘hidden homeless.’ The emotive video was shared at Stonewater’s staff conference, then on social media to highlight how homelessness can affect anyone.

Best content targeted to the CSR community

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Best content targeted to the investor audienceGold – Poste Italiane and Bladonmore Poste Italiane is one of Italy’s largest employers, with over 134,000 employees. It operates 12,800 post offices and delivers three billion items of mail every year. It also has a parcel distribution business and growing payments, insurance and financial services activities. In 2018, Poste Italiano unveiled its ‘deliver 2022’ strategy, enlisting Bladonmore to tailor content for its presentation at Capital Markets Day in London. Here they updated investors and analysts on Poste Italiano’s transformation programme. Bladonmore created four films to document the transformation. Poste Italiano’s shares have risen by more than 30% despite paying a dividend equal to 5% of the share price, as a result.

Silver – Russell Investments and Living GroupGlobal asset management firm Russell Investments wanted to stand out in a sector where brands often use similar imagery. It enlisted Living Group to transform its brand by replacing traditional financial content with striking imagery. This has resulted in a 30% reduction in time to market and a 50% reduction in print costs.

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Silver – CobhamAt its annual leadership conference, Cobham launched its new purpose, ‘every mission matters,’ and the behaviours that underpin it. Staff were split into teams and tasked to visually interpret those behaviours. The sketches were turned into large canvasses and sent to Cobham sites around the world, to inspire employees.

Best content targeted to the internal audience

Gold – Direct Line GroupDirect Line Group wanted to dispel the negative perceptions of the financial industry, which is often seen as having a rigid corporate culture, and make its employees feel proud to work for the company. In an effort to promote open and honest conversations among its staff it created the #thisisme campaign. Employees were invited to share a series of ‘I am’ statements as part of a Yammer conversation, sharing what makes them ‘them’ – both inside and outside work. Within two weeks, thousands of employees participated, leading to a new era of openness for the business and 89% of employees deeming the business highly inclusive. One judge added that this, “Brings to life the people who make the brand what it is.”

Silver – RBS and Synergy CreativeWith the 10th anniversary of the government bailout of RBS approaching, it had to sensitively broach the subject internally to ensure employees felt confident and reassured. Synergy Creative developed a campaign that celebrated employees’ experiences by sharing their stories on the intranet.

Bronze – Octapharma and LuminousOctapharma has a diverse international team of 10,000 people, but it was hard for individuals to see the bigger picture. Luminous created a video content campaign that highlighted how employees deliver life-changing medicines. 91% of employees said it positively changed their perception of their own contribution.

Highly commended – De Beers Group and Nucco Brain Elements Materials Technology and 438 Marketing

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Best use of videoGold – BP and Lonely LeapAs part of its BP Portrait Award, BP commissioned Lonely Leap to create a documentary, ‘Portrait of an Artist.’ The half-hour film brings together artists and sitters alike, who talk about the personal experiences behind their paintings. As well as brokering a partnership with BBC World News, Lonely Leap also created short edits, which were distributed across social and digital channels. The film was broadcast on BBC World News and is currently live on Amazon Prime, reaching over 1.5m. Research showed it drove an increase in key perceptions about art and resulted in 94% positive sentiment among BBC viewers, and a 39% increase in brand affinity. Judges called this “Beautiful,” “emotive,” and said it featured “captivating storytelling.”

Gold – National Crime Agency and malt.With children as young as four being targeted by online offenders, the National Crime Agency (NCA) needed to engage and educate four to seven year-olds on how to stay safe online. It had to pitch the content with precision to encourage repeat viewing and discussion by the children. It commissioned malt to do so, consulting children, parents and teachers as part of the process. The result was an animated series of standalone videos called Jessie & Friends, each nuanced in terms of format, tone of voice, messaging and storyline. The resource pack was its most impactful content, with 8,264 downloads and 84,388 views. Judges loved this. One said, “Wonderful campaign for a very specific purpose with very meaningful results.”

Silver – Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation TrustTo celebrate the 70th birthday of the NHS, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust created ‘We Care,’ a video poem for its patients and staff. It was written and produced in-house and shared across multiple channels to resounding approval, including 71,000 Twitter impressions.

Bronze – Stonewater and BECG Social housing provider Stonewater tasked BECG to create a film it could promote on World Homeless Day to highlight how homelessness can affect anyone. The film delivered a significant emotional impact to employees and the wider public, with 88% of staff stating it was excellent or above average.

Highly commended – Direct Line Group HSBC

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Best use of digitalGold – Spirit Energy Ltd and ComprendSpirit Energy formed in 2017 as an independent oil and gas operator. As a new business, it needed to work hard to become a trusted partner, attract the best talent and be considered a good corporate citizen. It enlisted Comprend to create a new website with branding and content that had a different approach. It used visually impactful, people-focused content with a relaxed feel, free of jargon. Since the redesign, engagement metrics have more than doubled. Average session duration increased from 1:23 to 2:40 minutes and page views to career content increased by 230%. Spirit Energy also received significant internal and external feedback about its tone of voice. Judges praised the creative, design and brand transformation.

Bronze – Centrica and ComprendCentrica is moving away from oil and gas, embracing a future focused on carbon reduction. However, as misconceptions about the company still existed, it needed a new corporate website to communicate its repositioning. Comprend developed a content hub to present Centrica’s position on these issues.

Bronze – The Walt Disney Company and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) delivered a week of activity across its social channels to raise awareness of its Disney Reef space and highlight the partnership with Disney. Posts reached 1.2m, with positive feedback from families.

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Best use of printGold – U+I and Gather LondonProperty developer U+I aims to leave a legacy of long-lasting social and economic change for the communities in which it operates, along with sustainable value for its shareholders. It wanted to use its 2019 annual report as an opportunity to showcase its purpose, ‘Unlocking value for all through regeneration.’ It enlisted Gather London to create a printed report with impact and substance. The report consisted of two books and used bold photography and standout contemporary graphics to illustrate how U+I’s purpose drives its performance. It clarified the narrative for the reader, ensuring a better understanding of how U+I unlocks value through regeneration. Judges appreciated the honesty of the messaging and the beautiful design of the book.

Silver – Hitachi Rail and ABHitachi Rail is building and maintaining the UK’s largest new fleet of high-speed trains. It needed to communicate with its UK workforce, particularly hard-to-reach engineers with little or no access to email and the intranet. It enlisted AB to launch Fusion magazine, which is distributed quarterly to Hitachi Rail’s UK sites.

Bronze – Royal Mail and AB After industrial relations between management and the Communication Workers Union broke down, Royal Mail tasked AB with redesigning its internal Courier newspaper to maximise communication between employees and management. Feedback was positive; 74.5% say it makes them proud to work for Royal Mail.

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Launching in North America February 2020

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Best use of audioGold – NFU Mutual and Fresh Air ProductionInsurance company NFU Mutual tasked Fresh Air Production with creating ‘Ahead of the Field,’ a podcast for the farming community, providing insight on farm business topics. Narrated by Will Evans, voice of the popular ‘Rock and Roll Farming’ podcast series, each episode is recorded in the field across the UK. The objectives were to raise brand awareness of NFU Mutual and add value to farmers outside the insurance/renewal cycle. The initial download target was 4,000 in the first three months, but the series delivered 7,158 downloads in three months followed by 17,000 more in the next nine. It was a clear winner. One judge said, “A great example of creating a comms solution based on the preferences and behaviour of the audience.”

Gold – Shell and Fresh Air ProductionShell wanted to ensure that audiences were aware of its renewables activity. With 51% of stakeholders willing to listen to the energy sector’s opinions on climate change, it opened the debate. It enlisted Fresh Air Production to deliver a series of podcasts – initially a pilot of five episodes – to gauge audience response. To avoid accusations of broadcasting or greenwashing, editorial neutrality was enshrined in the process. The podcast achieved and passed the 10,000 downloads target, totalling over 43,000 downloads across the first five episodes. Judges praised the creative strategy, “Well researched, simply executed. Good use of the medium to help to reposition the company’s brand perception in light of the challenge of climate change.“

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Bronze – Burberry and WSM (Want Some Media)The Burberry Voices podcast is an internal communications channel for all Burberry employees worldwide. Created by Want Some Media, the aim was to create something different to replace traditional internal comms, and allow leaders to connect with the wider business, through enjoyable, stimulating content.

Silver – DeloitteDeloitte knew its content could be technical and disengaging. To address this, it launched company-wide podcast, ‘The Green Room by Deloitte.’ Hosts are recruited internally and the conversations aren’t scripted. It has tallied 28,506 downloads and gained a nod on Apple Podcasts’ top five business podcasts list.

Bronze – KPMG in the UK and Audere CommunicationsKPMG wanted to increase its share of voice on Brexit, working with Audere Communications on ‘The Business of Brexit’ podcast. Results exceeded expectations, gaining more listeners than an average KPMG webinar, enabling KPMG to maintain a regular market presence.

Highly commended – Pladis and Brand Conversation

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Best use of a visual propertyGold – Russell Investments and Living GroupGlobal asset management firm Russell Investments wanted to stand out in a sector where brands often use similar communications. It enlisted Living Group to transform its brand. It needed to appeal to an investor audience that is traditionally time poor, bombarded with data on a daily basis and needs information presented in a clear and simple way. Living Group replaced traditional financial branded content with powerful, yet meaningful imagery. The resulting brand has proven a success, with time to market 30% faster for thought leadership materials and a digital-first policy resulting in a 50% reduction in print costs. Russell Investments has firmly embraced the new brand identity as a confident and intelligent step forward. Judges called it “stunning.”

Silver – Harneys and Living GroupOffshore law firm Harneys is regarded as a market leader in the Cayman Islands but in other regions is known as a challenger brand. It tasked Living Group with transforming its brand. The resulting bright animations and illustrations delivered a big impact and saw a 38% year-on-year increase in website visitors.

Bronze – Eintracht Frankfurt Fußball AG (SGE) and Profilwerkstatt GmbHBundesliga football club Eintracht Frankfurt wanted to raise its profile as an international brand among existing and potential sponsors. It tasked Profilwerkstatt with creating a high quality yearbook to spark cooperation and strengthen partnerships.

Highly commended – HSBC

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Best use of mobileGold – Turkcell and RafineriTurkcell, Turkey’s leading mobile operator, has more than 35m customers, and uses its DO mobile app to great effect. The app has a monthly usage rate of 21m, which Turkcell put to good effect when it noted that World Animal Day coincided with World Smile Day. It enlisted Rafineri to create a campaign that would engage with customers and help the eight million stray animals cared for in Turkey’s shelters. AI technology was placed in interactive ad screens in shopping malls, where DO app users were encouraged to take a selfie and ‘Spread the Smile.’ The more they smiled, the more Turkcell donated to Yedikule Animal Shelter. Some 310,000 people participated and the campaign reached 19.9m people on TV and digital media.

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Best use of a celebrity or influencerGold – Frugalpac and Storm CommunicationsFrugalpac introduced an innovative paper coffee cup that was easily recycled. However, it was not until 2019 – following significant external investment – that the Frugal Cup finally entered mass production. The company appointed Storm to raise awareness and dispel some of the myths that have supported the rise in popularity of competitor products. Storm devised a two-pronged creative campaign, #getFrugal, to raise awareness of the Frugal Cup’s environmental benefits. It targeted both consumers – to put pressure on café owners to stock the cups – and businesses, and identified a number of micro-influencers who would help build brand awareness. As a result, the Frugal Cup was introduced to numerous outlets in the UK.

Silver – Goodman Masson and Spirited PicturesFinance and technology recruiter Goodman Masson wanted to showcase the values that uphold its recruitment process outsourcing function. Spirited Pictures created a video featuring Poetry Slam winner Vanessa Kisuule, showing that it has stepped away from corporate clichés.

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Best copy style or tone of voiceGold – National Crime Agency and malt.The National Crime Agency (NCA) had to get the tone of voice exactly right when educating children as young as four on online safety. It commissioned malt to conceive of and create an educational resource, consulting children, parents and teachers in the process. The Jessie & Friends videos were aimed at children aged four to seven and needed to encourage repeat viewing and discussion, without scaremongering. Each film was also nuanced in terms of the format, tone of voice, messaging and storyline for its target age group. The 8,264-download resource pack was the NCA’s most used. Judges praised the use of research. One added, “Gets the tone of voice exactly right in an exceptionally difficult content area.”

Silver – Spirit Energy Ltd and ComprendOil and gas operator Spirit Energy is a relative newcomer to the sector and wanted to stand out from its peers. Comprend created a new website with a visually powerful, people-focused approach and a relaxed tone of voice, free of jargon. Spirit Energy has received positive feedback about its new approach.

Bronze – Cabinet Office and MyCSPPension Power is the Civil Service Pension Scheme’s member communication and engagement tool, administered by MyCSP. To demystify pensions, it used a Strictly Come Dancing theme at Civil Service Live. Impact was significant with a 61% increase in web visits month on month following the roadshow.

LONDON NEW YORK

Lansons.com

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LONDON NEW YORK

Lansons.com

Best corporate blogGold – The Perfume Shop and The River GroupThe Perfume Shop’s blog, Scents, is an inspirational, revenue-driving hub, producing content for people with a passion for perfume. While fragrance content can often be impenetrable and bewildering, the Scents blog is written in an approachable, engaging, millennial-first tone of voice. Scents also produces bespoke pieces of content to support the Perfume Shop’s channels across social platforms. In 2018, the blog exceeded revenue targets by 33% and in 2019 overperformed in June, with 100% year-on-year growth and an increased revenue rate of 165%. Judges appreciated the audience-centric strategy. One said, “Strong use of research, demonstrable understanding of their customer base and creative execution.”

Silver – Evelina London, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust Evelina London children’s hospital released the Evelina 150 blog to allow patients to share their stories and provide insight into their conditions. They often name clinicians who have been involved in their care, and staff benefit from seeing the children’s perspectives.

Highly commended – Geotab and Global Results Communications

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Best content-driven brand created communityGold – Evelina London, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation TrustEvelina London, a children’s hospital within the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust supported its LGBT+ patients throughout their healthcare journeys by building an inclusive community that started with the internal audience. The community was brought together through the use of a simple symbol: the pride flag. Rainbow badges featuring the NHS logo were given to employees. Their implementation was supported with communications across all internal channels. Within two months, 25% of employees were wearing the rainbow badge. But the biggest proof positive was that the rainbow badge initiative has also been requested by 86% of NHS Trusts in England and over 200 GP practices.

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Best use of content within an existing external community

Gold – Ageas and BECGInsurance firm Ageas sought to maintain a connection and showcase its personal touch with the brokerage community. It recognised that its audience needed the right information presented in a clear and relevant way. In order to deliver integrated communications that build strong, personal relationships with brokers it needed engaging and shareable content. BECG created strong visual imagery and delivered content across video, social media and even into cloud-shaped biscuits for events. The campaign has changed the perception of Ageas among the broker community. Judges applauded the project’s creativity, “Demonstrates a deep understanding of the audience and a friendly, engaging approach to a dry subject.”

Silver – AVAYA and A-VisionAvaya tasked A-Vision with creating immersive content that would showcase its technology to existing clients and add the ‘wow’ factor. At Avaya’s purpose-built customer experience centre in New York, A-Vision developed content for tech including a 90 foot, 22K interactive screen and an IoT-enabled haptic table.

Bronze – Cabinet Office and MyCSPPension Power is the Civil Service Pension Scheme’s member communication and engagement tool, administered by MyCSP. It launched the most recent campaign to its members with a Strictly Come Dancing theme at Civil Service Live, reaching 6,000 members. It was then rolled out to a further 450,000 members.

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Best user-generated contentGold – Direct Line GroupDirect Line Group wanted to dispel the negative perceptions of the financial industry, which is often seen as having a rigid corporate culture, and make its employees feel proud to work for the company. In an effort to promote open and honest conversations among its staff it created the #thisisme campaign. Employees were invited to share a series of ‘I am’ statements as part of a Yammer conversation. Within two weeks, thousands of employees posted, liked, commented and shared on Yammer, leading to a new era of openness for the business. In the next stage of the campaign, #thisisus, Direct Line created a series of videos with eight employees. 89% of employees said it was a highly inclusive place to work.

Silver – HSBC When HSBC launched a new CSR and sustainability strategy, it searched for stories across the bank that celebrate and encourage good practice. Feedback from employees to the content was overwhelmingly positive, citing CSR as one of the most prominent things that made them proud to work for the company.

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Best use of content in a live or experiential setting

Gold – CobhamCobham has over 10,000 employees globally. After a period of economic and organisational instability and changes in senior leadership, employees were uncertain about the future of the company and what it stood for. To mobilise and engage its employees to prepare for growth, Cobham launched its new purpose – Every Mission Matters – and the behaviours that underpin it at its annual Leadership Conference in Miami. At the conference, staff were split into teams and tasked to create a sketch of each behaviour. The sketches were then transposed onto large outdoor canvasses. The canvasses were sent to Cobham sites around the world, to serve as inspiration for employees. Survey results showed 99% of the delegates supported the new purpose and behaviours.

Silver – Cabinet Office and MyCSPPension Power launched its most recent scheme to its members with a Strictly Come Dancing theme at Civil Service Live, the UK’s largest roadshow for civil servants, where amid the dancing and the rhinestones, it delivered the information, reaching some 6,000 members at the roadshow.

Bronze – BT Consumer and DRPG BT Consumer appointed DRPG to deliver Consumer Live for 2019, engaging frontline colleagues and team leaders to share news on progress and hear future plans for the business. It needed to personalise the event with 7,000 delegates over two days, and a following series of events, reaching 21,000 employees.

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Best creative use of owned media channelsGold – London Luton AirportA recent investment of £160m not only transformed London Luton Airport’s terminal, but offered the opportunity to challenge previous perceptions of the airport and enhance its reputation among key stakeholders. It wanted to increase the output of its social media content across its owned channels and use this to increase engagement. It highlighted an improved passenger experience and personal passenger stories. Since the launch of the new content strategy, Luton Airport has seen a significant increase in engagement across its key social channels – followers on Facebook were up by 5%, on Instagram by 63%, on LinkedIn by 37% and on Twitter by 2.5% – as well as improved internal engagement.

Silver – DigiPlexSustainable data centre specialist DigiPlex had to raise awareness about the environmental concerns of traditional coal-fired data centres. It overhauled its brand, making a strategic shift in its communications. It is now the data centre operator with the highest brand awareness among Nordic decision makers.

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Best branded content publicationGold – British Heart Foundation and WardourThe British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) quarterly magazine, Heart Matters, is aimed at people living with a heart condition and is distributed around 500,000 people. Produced in collaboration with Wardour, Heart Matters contains the staples of a consumer magazine, with lifestyle and wellbeing features and patient stories, but it’s vital the content relates to heart health and is combined with medical information and advice that helps people demystify their conditions. A regular online survey shows that 82% say it helps them in the management of their heart or circulatory condition. Judges praised the content strategy, tone of voice and publication design, making it a clear winner.

Silver – Hays and Wardour Global specialist recruitment group Hays distributes Hays Journal to individual clients and prospects via Hays offices around the world. Wardour expanded its reach by increasing the exposure of the articles online and adding thought leadership pieces from senior figures at Boeing, Warner Bros and Deloitte.

Bronze – Eintracht Frankfurt Fußball AG (SGE) and Profilwerkstatt GmbHEintracht Frankfurt wanted to create something memorable that would raise its profile among premier partners and sponsors. Profilwerkstatt created ‘Building Bridges,’ a high-quality yearbook with an illuminated cover and sleek branding throughout.

Bronze – Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation TrustThe GiST is the quarterly magazine for Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Content is produced in-house and has a role in boosting staff morale as individuals and teams featured in the magazine feel recognised for their achievements.

Highly commended – Cobham

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Best branded content siteGold – Pernod Ricard and Bladonmore Pernod Ricard wanted to express its corporate purpose without simply promoting its products. It tasked Bladonmore with producing a creative platform, theconvivialists.com, with the emphasis on creating shared experiences with family and friends, and enjoying alcohol responsibly. The website contains limited references to Pernod Ricard’s products and corporate brand. Pernod Ricard particularly wanted to target international millennials and generate conversations on social media. Theconvivialists.com is designed to evolve continuously and will be updated with regular content. Within a month of launch, the website saw 34,328 users, and 61% of its subscribers are millennials. An online magazine is due to be launched this year.

Silver – Harneys and Living GroupOffshore law firm Harneys wanted a brand transformation across all platforms to make it stand out in a market known for a fairly dry approach. Living Group gave it a more friendly and approachable voice through bright, amusing animations that still deliver the essential information.

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Best use of data

Gold – EY and Living GroupEY’s proprietary research data holds immense potential value for its investor and corporate clients, and it wanted to present it in a more efficient way. Living Group worked with Transaction Advisory Services, one of EY’s global businesses, to pinpoint data. It then conducted workshops and interactive sessions to gain insights into how to best present that data. In developing flexible digital formats to bring it to life in engaging and intuitive ways, it created three tools which featured dashboard-style interfaces that enable clients to get the information they need as quickly as possible. The EY Profit Warning Console has become a trusted source of data for both the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority.

Gold – AVORD Group and Storm CommunicationsAvord is a cyber security platform that connects independent security testers with businesses. It appointed Storm prior to launch to raise awareness of the solution among security testers and those responsible for protecting a company’s assets from cyber criminals. Storm’s challenge was to make Avord stand out in an increasingly crowded field. It focused on the cost of security testing and tackling the dominance of consultancies. It canvassed 400 UK businesses, across five industry sectors to generate data that would create a strong narrative. The findings have become synonymous with Avord and many influencers in the industry are continuing to use its data in reports.

Silver – MobileIron and Champion CommunicationsMobileIron wanted to enter the UK’s public sector market but without existing customers or awareness, it couldn’t initiate sales conversations. Champion Communications designed a freedom of information request and comms campaign to give it a UK foothold.

Bronze – Greenlight Commerce and Champion CommunicationsGreenlight Commerce worked with Champion Communications on a research-based campaign connected with e-commerce decision makers. It then created the Greenlight Code, a set of guidelines to be followed when conducting an e-commerce project.

Highly commended – Amdocs and Babel PR

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Best use of content in a social contextGold – Birds EyeBirds Eye had seen several years of declining sales of its iconic fish fingers product and realised it needed to make a change. But this presented a risk as it was changing something genuinely loved and truly rooted in British culture. It refocused on a serious message that required a more genuine tone of voice. Birds Eye gave the salty old sea dog a makeover. He became a more modern captain with the ability to connect with the brand’s target audience. One judge said, “Clearly a well thought through campaign that focused on creating a connection between the brand and its customers. In what is a very noisy social media landscape, Birds Eye created something that had enough unique elements to cut through that noise.”

Silver – Guide Dogs and ZoneGuide Dogs faced a series of challenges in engaging young men on social media. Zone created a series of videos showing how visually impaired people play sport, which resonated with Guide Dogs’ social audience. There was a resulting increase in its male audience on Facebook from 19% to 46%.

Bronze – Rebel Girls and Nucco BrainMedia brand Rebel Girls wanted to tell the story of women’s involvement in Apollo 11. Adapting the script from one of Rebel Girls’ podcasts, Nucco Brain developed a short animation on the story of Margaret Hamilton. The result was an animation that told an important story and led to over 11,000 Instagram views.

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Best one-off content campaignGold – Toyota (GB) plc and DMS Media LtdToyota wanted to demonstrate its commitment to the creation of a more inclusive and sustainable society. It focused on the positioning that everyone can challenge their impossible by highlighting stories of determination and Toyota technologies. The ‘Start Your Impossible’ campaign aligns with Toyota’s sponsorship of the 2020 Olympics and highlights real-life stories. DMS Media created a film, ‘Blind Driver,’ which tells the story of Amit Patel. The film included additional edits for groups focused on automotive, disability and wellbeing and was watched 2.2m times, making it the most-watched Toyota UK film on YouTube. Judges loved it. One said, “Just a brilliant piece of content, very exciting and heart-provoking, and clearly had great uptake.”

Silver – MobileIron and Champion CommunicationsMobileIron wanted to gain a foothold in the UK’s public sector but had no awareness or existing customers. Champion Communications designed a campaign around a freedom of information request, showcasing the brand’s expertise in mobile device security.

Bronze – Newcastle University and WardourNewcastle University is a better research organisation than it is perceived to be. Wardour created a campaign to address this, influencing a wide range of audiences, from policymakers to prospective students. It used videos, newspaper supplements and even a giant building wrap, with tangible results for the university.

Highly commended – Greenlight Commerce and Champion Communications

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Best long-term use of contentGold – British Heart Foundation and WardourThe British Heart Foundation’s Heart Matters magazine is aimed at people living with a heart condition. Produced quarterly in collaboration with Wardour, Heart Matters is a valuable source of information for its readers. It fosters a sense of community and runs a quarterly patient panel with 85 patients, who it also contacts frequently between meetings. Content includes lifestyle and wellbeing features, patient stories, recipes, fitness tips and medical information and advice that helps readers to understand their condition. An online survey asks readers for regular feedback on the magazine and its articles so the content is continually evolving. Judges thought this publication’s impact on its audience was apparent and that it had clearly built a community among members.

Silver – EY and Living Group EY wanted a new way to present its valuable proprietary research data. Living Group worked with Transaction Advisory Services, one of EY’s global businesses to created three tools: the ‘profit warnings console,’ ‘disruption index’ and ‘capital confidence barometer’ and bring EY’s data to life in intuitive ways.

Silver – London Stock Exchange Group and WardourThe 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain publication by the London Stock Exchange Group has truly evolved. Produced by Wardour, the book celebrates UK businesses and includes contributions from leaders of think tanks and politicians, extending its yearly reach.

Bronze – HSBCAs part of its CSR and sustainability strategy, HSBC has used stories from around the business that celebrate and encourage good practice. It worked with MerchantCantos to share the content internally and externally, and it forms part of HSBC’s ongoing commitment to the communities in which it operates.

Highly commended – Gemalto and Wardour

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Best corporate storytellerWinner - NFU Mutual and Fresh Air ProductionNFU Mutual knew from research that farmers enjoyed listening to podcasts and tasked Fresh Air Production with creating ‘Ahead of the Field,’ a podcast specifically for the farming community. Diversification is a hot topic in farming, so it approached Will Evans, a podcaster and influencer with a substantial following among fellow farmers, to explore the topic. Each episode is recorded in the field all over the UK, speaking to inspirational farmers who have diversified into areas including speedboat tours, brewing and distilling, farm shops and restaurants, and agricultural contracting. The podcasts discuss how they do it, what they have learned and offers advice for others. As the podcast proved popular, NFU Mutual expanded the series to take in wider farming issues and trends, such as the use of drones and precision technology in agriculture. Farmers are keen to tell their stories and so the podcast series continues to grow, providing a valuable source of advice and entertainment for farm businesses throughout the UK. Judges praised the series for its considered approach to the target audience and their preferences as well as its engaging content, making it the clear winner of this year’s ‘Best Corporate Storyteller’ award.

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Grand prixWinner – British Heart Foundation and WardourWith a magazine designed to communicate with members and those managing heart conditions across the UK, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has crafted a clear winner. Heart Matters magazine, developed in collaboration with Wardour, is a successful piece of branded content. It has established a connection with readers, encouraged member engagement and, most importantly, spurred readers to live healthier lives. In order to achieve this, Heart Matters has, since 2012, produced quarterly print magazines that feature interesting, relevant content. Articles discuss healthy lifestyles, are people-focused and include bespoke content targeted to BHF’s audience. BHF also engages with readers in panel sessions designed to develop new content that is relevant to the community. Judges have been wowed by this publication two years running. One judge said, “This campaign clearly has an immensely positive impact on the community. And the feedback around it was great. It looked good, it read well and was interesting. I loved the panel that fed in regularly, and the regular feedback loop into it.” Others commented on the beautiful design, carefully targeted content and reader feedback. This year, BHF and Wardour took gold in the competitive ‘Best branded content publication’ category and in the ‘Best long-term use of content’ category. This standout, reader favourite and excellent example of branded content is indeed a deserving winner of the 2020 Corporate Content Awards’ ‘Grand prix’ honour.

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Communicate magazine

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